I'm lookin to get back in the Maxima game for kind of cheap, and maybe do a 3.5 swap down the line. I have a couple of questions though:

How good are "high mileage" Maximas performance/reliability-wise?
What kind of problems should I look out for?
Are they easy to work on?
Do the timing chains have to be serviced/replaced?
For anyone familiar with both Hondas and the VQ35 swap, is the VQ35 swap any harder than any other bolt-in engine swap?
Is the price premium of a 5th gen 3.0 worth it over a 4th gen?

My DREAM would be to get a ridiculously high mileage 4th gen and the engine at the same time, and then swap it right away...anyways, talk to me...I'm looking to get something in the coming few months.

 

1. Excellent reliability
2. Timing chain tensioners, alternators, the usual stuff. Nothing special.
3. Easy is relative - depends on your skill level. Some things are easier than others.
4. The tensioners tend to get weak - 100k is a good time to replace them.
5. VQ35 requires some customization - but all the know-how is available in the right places
6. Different body style... not much different in terms of the engine, especially since you can get the VI and adapt it onto the 4th Gen VQ.

It's probably not a bad idea to visit the all motor forum and ALL the stickies there first.

 

Yea I've been reading about JWT pulling the cam spacers and the absolutely retarded timing of the 3.0 ECU...and yea it's cool that the '00 VI works on the OG VQ30. If the OG VQ30 will survive though I might just throw everything at it rather than go with the engine swap route...everything's sellable or transferrable anyway.

So the stigma of 100k mark cars is just empty talk for Maximas? *wipes brow*

 

Why assume a high milage car will need a new engine? Get one that has been driven respectfully and had routine maintenance, and the engine should be good forever. With a high milage car, your bigger concern is probably everything but the engine. Cars rust; suspension, joints, bearings, steering, etc. wear out; exhaust; interior wear and tear; etc. That's what kills older cars these days, not the engines.

 

233k miles 7200 RPM daily..

Auto tranny is dying, engine loves life.

Buy the high mileage Maxima.

 

no such thing as a high mileage maxima........107k 6500 daily......my 96 with 196k saw 6500 daily when the auto let it get there.....and i sold it with 196 and now its my brothers Daily Driver sooooo

 

It depends on the price and if it was taken care of. Even if you swap the motor, there's many other things that can be neglected and make a car unsafe.

 

I have 120,000 on mine

 

I have 233,000 on mine

 

I got 86K. Even though I'm the 2nd owner this feels like a new car to me.

 

i honestly would check the carfax on the car befor buying ... 25 dollars will potencialy save you a headache....

 

How many miles is high mileage to you?

If the Max has been taken care of and serviced as it should have been, why not?

I have 134K on mine and it's tight.

I should visit the timig chain tension slight rattle I hear when cold......

 

The engine will well outlive the transmission. Otherwise high mileage isn't that big of an issue. Wiring problems can be a severe if they occur, but isn't necessarily mileage related.

 

Bought my 98 GLE w/ 100K on it 2.5 years ago. Have maintained exceptionally. 28.5 MPG @ 75 on the interstate and rolled over 199K this morning on the commute. If the guy selling it is still excited about it, then he probably took care of it. Ask him if he changed his oil at Wal Mart???

 

i got mine a few months ago with 168000 and now it has 175000 and runs good. driven from phoenix to san diego a few times already

 

220k on mine, and the ONLY things I have had to do were:

Keep gas in it
Keep oil in it
Keep tires on it

Replacement of 1 alternator.

What an awesome car...when it's time to replace...I'll definitely be looking at another Max. Maybe even another 4th gen.

 

Cripes, that's an as.s. load of miles for a 99.

 

yeah it is..

150k on the dot on mine.. original clutch too! it'll prolly go out real soon with my luck, though.

 

Sounds like no one has hit the point of high mileage yet in the max. I have 119k on my 98 and not worried about a thing.

 

186,000 miles, 6900RPM x 4 times daily... For a while i was trying to throw a rod or something b/c i was wanting a new engine to supercharge...

Now... i cant seem to make it die. Orig Auto-tranny.
Ive also heard the Auto is Bullet Proof. I stomp my pedel and my car moves past any 6cyl from a roll.
**Oil changes every 2500-miles.

poorbrokekid<Dude. im gonna mail you some Oil man. change that.

**PS. Look in auto trader for a MAX that needs a little work, I almost bought a 95GXE blk/blk leather w/150K for $1500.00 small dollars, It needed 1 coil pack b/c it was mis-firing. I decided to hold off b/c i have a 99Lexus ES300 i just bought though so i cant have a used car lot at my home...

 

179,000 on mine. It has a little starting problem but other than that I think it's really easy to work on, most of the bolts in the engine are either 10, 12, or 14 mm.

 

Guess that depends who you ask. Theres guys who've gone through multiple auto trannies and won't ever have another one again. I'd say the general concensus is that the 4AT usually doesnt hold up well with much additional power put through it without tranny cooler etc...

 

i bought mine with 184,000 for 3k two years ago. Is working great *knocks on wood* and its at 210,000 right now